Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Lifeline's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  Lifeline

  200 Donald Lynch Blvd Ste 300 Marlborough, MA 01752-4816

  
• 

  Philips Lifeline

  105 - 95 Barber Greene Rd. North York, ON M3C 3E9

• 

  Philips Lifeline

  16002 Meadow Oak Drive Chesterfield, MO 63017

• 

  Lifeline Systems Company

  110 Southchase Blvd Fountain Inn, SC 29644

• 

  Lifelines Alert Systems Inc

  3000 S. Jamaica Ct., Ste. 280 Aurora, CO 80014

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/27/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I entered into a service contract and rented one Lifeline Monitor with tho ********* Help buttons for my elderly parents a few years ago. I actively maintained this service until it was clear my father was not to return home from a nursing facility and since has passed. My mother straight out refused to wear the alert button and never used. I ended up returning the entire system in 5/2022 in prestine condition. I retained tracking number on system and was assured by a Lifeline agent that they received all equiptment and this account was indeed closed. In August I noticed that my debit card was charged $45.12 from ******** Lifeline, **********, **. I then proceeded to look back through my checking acct and found two addintional charges on $15.11 that were pulled from account in both June and July. I've used mulitple lunch breaks at work on the phone with Lifeline trying to figure this out....on hold...being transferred and cut off...given an 800 number to call and was disconnected...finally resulting in talking to a few agents who assured me that my account was cancelled and I would not be charged again. LIFELINE THEN INDEED AUTOMATICALLY CHARGED MY BANK ACCT $45.12 on Sept 14!! Then, I received ANOTHER paper bill in the mail of $48.62 for the service time of 10/12/22 - 11/12/22!! I again was transfered multilple times today and talked to an agent in accounting who again asured that they would closed my acct (that has already been closed multiple times) and a refund was being processed - but no time frame of when the refund would be completed. I lso requested that my debit card information be DELETED from their system - I WAS TOLD THE WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT!!!! I also asked that I get a personal call when my refund as been processed and my account has offically been closed - I was also told my the agent that she didn't think that was protocal!!!!HOW MANY ELDERLY ARE BEING RIPPED OFF?

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/31/2022

  Good Evening, 
  
  Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us with all of the information you have provided. We are sorry for the frustration you are dealing with. We have provided all of this information to our **************************** A Supervisor will review all of this information, will research your account and, will follow up with you.
  
  Thank you for your time, please be well, and take care,
  
  The Customer Experience Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/26/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In mid-June 2022 Lifeline called to say that the battery in my mother's necklace was running low and they would be sending her a new one in a few days. Two weeks went by without the new one arriving so I called them to inquire as to the status of the order. I was told they were waiting for the battery to arrive from their supplier and that as soon as it arrived at their warehouse the shipment would be sent out immediately. I have called every two weeks since and have been told the same thing each time. On October 17 I called again and asked to speak with a supervisor. I was told someone would call me in a day or two. By October 21 no one had called me so I called them again asking to speak with a supervisor. I was told someone would call me in the next 24 hours. No one called by the next day so I called again. I was told someone would call me by the end of the day on October 25, which did not happen. I called on October 26 and asked to speak to a supervisor. I was told I could not speak to a supervisor at that time because protocol is to pass the message along to a supervisor. I am frustrated because it has been 4 months since the replacement battery should have been shipped and my requests to speak to someone higher up have been ignored.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/27/2022

  Good ******************************************** you for taking the time to reach out to us with all of the information you have provided. We are sorry for the frustration you are dealing with. We have provided all of this information to our **************************** A Supervisor will review all of this information, will research your account and, will follow up with you.
  
  Thank you for your time, please be well, and take care,
  
  The Customer Experience Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/22/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I terminated my Lifeline service and returned the equipment on June 2, 2022 as requested.I had prepaid for my Lifeline service $208.08 for 6 months from February to July 2022. I was told by the Lifeline representative that I would be receiving a check for $67.36 which was the balance after my service was terminated. I have not received the check and have contacted Lifeline on June 7, August 3, August 12, and October 19 and keep getting the runaround and NO check.I want Lifeline to send me a check for $67.36 which was the remaining balance on my service after termination.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/24/2022

  Good Morning ******************
  
  Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us with all of the information you have provided. We are sorry for the frustration you are dealing with. We have provided all of this information to our **************************** A Supervisor will review all of this information, will research your account and, will follow up with you.
  
  Thank you for your time, please be well, and take care,
  
  The Customer Experience Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/17/2022

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  For many years, I had monthly payments to Lifeline automatically withdrawn from my checking account. Due to a hacking attempt on my account, on Feb. 28, 2022, I closed that account and opened a new one at the same ************* On March 2, I called Lifeline and was told my last auto-payment had cleared on 2/25/22 and that the next payment was due on 3/25/22. Later in March, I sent a voided check and the completed form to authorize monthly auto-withdrawals from the new checking account. On 4/5/22, I received a bill for ********* and when I called Lifeline, I learned that the payment of 2/25 had actually not cleared. When I paid both bills that day, I was told it could take up to 60 days for the auto-withdrawal to be processed. But since then, I've continued to receive monthly statements in the mail and have had to pay the bill by phone because my auto-withdrawal has not yet gone into effect. In June, the *** I spoke with said he was sending an email to a *** *** to ask him to call me to explain why my auto-withdrawal had not yet been processed. I never heard from any ***, *** or otherwise. When I didn't receive a bill in September, I thought "Hallelujah!" -- assuming the auto-withdrawal was finally in effect. But no. Today I received a Lifeline statement telling me I'm in arrears more than 45 days!!! AS OF THIS DATE, OCTOBER 17, 2022, Lifeline HAS HAD EIGHT MONTHS to put my auto-withdrawal into effect, yet they have failed to do so!!! There is something terribly awry in the billing department. What business takes more than EIGHT MONTHS to set up an auto-withdrawal?!!! If there is anything you can do to expedite the processing of my auto-withdrawal, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/18/2022

  Good Morning ****************, 
  
  Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us with all of the information you have provided. We are sorry for the frustration you are dealing with. We have provided all of this information to our **************************** A Supervisor will review all of this information, will research your account and, will follow up with you.
  
  Thank you for your time, please be well, and take care,
  
  The Customer Experience Team

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/29/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My MIL, who I have her authorization to speak for her, has been waiting for new equipment for the past 2 years, and has been paying for it this whole time. Even today they said they can&#**;t get the new equipment for another 3 months. That is no longer acceptable. It has already been 2 years and we are done waiting. We want a full refund of everything that has *** paid in the last 2 years.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/16/2022

  Hello, Thank you for providing your information in order for me to be able to provide support to you I am going to need your mother in law's name and the phone number associated with the account. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/21/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Mom recently released from hospital. Suffered major stroke-************************ same night she fell out of her bed.NO CALL was made to Lifeline.Luckily I installed a camera & when I checked in I could see she was on floor.When I called Lifeline, they said that it only detects falls from a STANDING position & a minimum of 4 ft height.NO ONE told me this when I signed up & there is NO reference to this on their website.Not all falls happen in a standing position.Scenarios like trying to get out of bed for the toilet in the middle of the night, or getting some water etc.Getting up from a chair reaching for a ****** will NOT trigger a call.Calls will NOT be made in these scenarios.Luckily I had the foresight to set up a camera & at bedtime I checked in & found her out of bed & on the floor with her arms flailing around.I had to call 911.Sorry, but I got this for peace of mind & for fall alerts-of which none of these I got.I live 3 hrs away & although she should be in a LTC facility, she demands to be home.Very disappointing.Depending on your situation, please consider the ************ scenario-else it's a useless tool.When I first got the device, I gave specific instructions that my mom suffered from aphasia.Yet when she got Covid and was sent back to hospital, she kept pressing the button (confused due to ****** ******************** called me saying they can't understand what she's saying.I told them to LOOK at the ****************** inability to speak (aphasia) vs. complaining they can't understand her.Don't like to give bad reviews, but when I really needed this to work & call on my behalf, they FAILED.I shouldn't have had to rely on my camera.I guess it was good that I had a backup system,but I shouldn't have had to in the first place.So you're either sitting, lying down or standing.Lifeline will only work in 1 of these 3 scenarios.Please consider this before proceeding.Cameras is not the best solution, but an add-on for peace of mind.God bless-hope you never need this

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/23/2022

  Good Afternoon **********,
  
  Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us and providing the attached information. We are sorry for your experience and would like to reassure you that we will review all the information that you provided in regards to your mothers account. We will have a supervisor follow up with you to discuss this.
  
  Thank you,
  
  The Customer Experience Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/11/2022

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  this matter is NOT fixed - it needs to be - and I'm not satisfied at all
  
  needs investigation - they are willfully withholding vital decision making information on their website and even in sales call on the phone.  this needs to be rectified 
  
  this matter is NOT CLOSED
  
  ***************;

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/21/2022

  Ms. **********;

  I am sorry to hear that you were not able to reach a resolution with our Lifeline ****** team. I have forwarded your information to them and asked them to reach back out to you to discuss this further. 

   

  Customer Experience Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/27/2022

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [When I found out that the Lifeline device only detects falls from a standing up position, I was horrified.  My mother fell from her hospital bed in her home and the fall was not detected.  And in addition to a fall from bed, it also does not detect falls from a sitting position.  This gives every person who entrusts Lifeline for their loved ones a FALSE sense of security.  Thank God I had the foresight to install a camera pointing at my mother and before bed, I checked in and found her to be on the floor.  I immediately called 911.  They indicated that the sales call would have indicated the 'limitations' of the device, min of 4 ft, not detecting falls from a min height or lying down position etc.  I asked for the recording.  They have not sent it to me.  Instead they told me they reviewed it themselves and all was okay.  Sorry, I said I wanted the actual recording - proof that they mentioned the limitations.  I feel that the call did not say this, hence they are not providing me with the recording.  I will not take their word for it that the recording is all good.  Just no way that is happening.  The only so called disclaimer on the website is that 'not 100% of falls are detected'.  This is BS.  There are 3 possible scenarios - standing, sitting and lying down.  Lifeline only detects ONE of the THREE possible scenarios. 

  They will not publish my review on their product, they will not send me the recording, they will not update their website to indicate the limitations and, despite what they've told me, they will not inform potential caregivers or users of the limitation - else most will say what's the point.  Those that I have spoken to about this say 'what's the point then'. 

  This is so very wrong - and it will take a lot on their part for me to say this is closed.  And i will keep checking their site.  

   

  So this is far from being a closed complaint - they lied and my mother could have been on the floor all night in a panic and had a heart attack with worry and stress, not knowing if someone will come - especially for someone with a form of dementia / Alzheimers and an already weaken heart ]

  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  **********

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/19/2022

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My Grandmother, *******************, had lifeline service through the ********** of *******. She cancelled service and returned her equipment to the ********** in January or February 2022. Starting in May she began to receive bills directly from Lifeline. I have attempted to contact lifeline several times but have been unable to reach anybody on the phone, and messages sent on their website have not been returned. The latest bill says Final Notice, and is threatening collections if the bill is not paid. It also says there will be an additional charge if the equipment is not returned. The account number on the bill is ********. She cancelled service before she began receiving these bills, and she no longer has the equipment they want her to return. Lifeline needs to update their records and stop sending bills.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/20/2022

  ************, 

   

  Thank you for taking the time to share your grandmother's experience. I would like to apologize for her having such a negative experience. I have researched her account and found that a credit was issued to the account in the amount of ****** on today, September 20, 2022 stating the service was cancelled in May of 2022. ************** should not receive a bill going forward. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/06/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had a ******** Advantage plan which included free ******** Lifeline. I am no longer on an Advantage Plan and the service was cancelled. The equipment needs to be returned. I have repeatedly tried to contact them to have a return label sent to me. I can never get through. There is no email address listed for contact and I have been put on hold longer for ridiculous time periods-longer than one half hour- when contacting them and I hang up. The return label that was originally provided in the equipment package is not valid. ***** is not recognizing the tracking number.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/11/2022

  Good ****************************** you for taking the time to reach out to us with all of the information for your account. We are sorry for the frustration you are dealing with. We have provided all of this information to our **************************** A Supervisor will review all of this information, will research your account, and will follow up with you.
  
  Thank you for your time, please be well, and take care,
  
  The Customer Experience Team
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/12/2022

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.  If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  The complaint is not resolved. I have not been contacted by the business yet so the complaint should be left open to be sure they follow through and contact me.
  Regards,

  *****

   

   

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/26/2022

  Good afternoon, we have been unsuccessful making contact with you. I will have a supervisor call again to provide some assistance.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/29/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I accidentally over paid and had to cancel the service because of system not working. They will not issue my refund for the over payment of $324.00.I have been trying to get it since July 11th when the service was canceled. They keep telling me it will take 3 to 4 weeks, and it is well past that time. We are on a fixed income as we 8o and 83 years old, we need our money. Can you help us? I have called 4 or 5 time now and keep getting the run around. First they said it would take 3 to 4 weeks and then they said it was mailed and would still take that long. Now they are saying they are updating there system and can't send the check until they are done. At the same time they tell me others are waiting since May. It does not take that long to update a system.. They must think we are stupid! Please help us get pur money back!Sincerly ****************************************************. Phone # ************** Mr. * *****************************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/30/2022

  Good Morning ***********************,
  
  Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us with all of the information for your account. We are sorry for the frustration you are dealing with and should not have to go through this to have your payments refunded. We have provided all of this information to our **************************** A Supervisor will review all of this information, will research your account, and will follow up with you.
  
  Thank you for your time, please be well, and take care,
  
  The Customer Experience Team
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/03/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have not recieved a response from the business ( Lifeline) yet.  I am still waiting for my refund!

  
  *************************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/15/2022

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My 93 year old mother who lives alone has had satisfactory service from Lifeline for years. However, in mid- June the red button on her unit lit up indicating her battery was low. We called immediately and were told it would arrive in 3-5 business days. When it did not arrive, we called again and we were told it was back ordered until mid- July. We were assured that her battery would not expire before she received a new unit but they could not tell me how long the battery would last nor when the unit would arrive. I have been told at different times by different operators that it is a supply chain issue, that the company that makes them is having trouble getting the part and that the warehouse is in transition. I have also been told that my moms order would be expedited when the unit is available. As of today, the unit remains back ordered with no expected arrival date. Their customer Service number is not working. This is unacceptable to my mom, myself and my family and is causing us undue anxiety. This company provides ONE essential service and should have contingency plans when problems such as this arise.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/16/2022

  Good Morning *****,
  
  Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us with all of the information for your mothers account. We are sorry for the frustration you are dealing with and should not have to go through this to have replacement equipment shipped out. We have provided all of this information to our **************************** A Supervisor will review all of this information, will research your mothers account, and will follow up with you.
  
  Thank you for your time, please be well, and take care,
  
  The Customer Experience Team